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Tuesday, 25 January 2011

SUMMER SECONDS: Special treatment

This “Summer Seconds” series gives you a second chance to read classic posts from the NOT PC archives. This time, part of a piece writtenback in January 2007 when John Key visited the Ratana marae for the first time, setting the tone for his premiership to come.

Are we somehow all special? How can that be?

I ask because John Boy Key was saying at Ratana marae yesterday both that Maori are "special," and at the same time that Don Brash's "message" that everyone should be equal before the law "won't be changing." Which means either we're all special (a logical impossibility), or else he's just talking nonsense and he thinks we won’t notice, or care.

In a relaxed speech that began with a short introduction in te reo, Mr Key reiterated his view that the National Party believes Maori have a special place as the Tangata Whenua. He says the National Party wants to engage in dialog with Maori and develop a relationship that will stand the test of time... A speech by National's previous leader, Don Brash, on race relations led to some strain between National and Maori, and Mr Key concedes there may be bridges to mend. But he says fundamentally his message won't be changing from Dr Brash's - but the tone may be different.

Those two statements -- that Maori should be regarded as "special"; and at the same time that everyone should be regarded as equal before the law regardless of colour -- are so different that either he thinks we're all stupid, or else he thinks the meaning of words is less important than the "tone" in which those words are said, or the 'emotional vibrations' with which the words are delivered.

PS: Lindsay Mitchell puts it bluntly: "When government accords one group special status they are by necessity taking from another. There can be no privilege without some corresponding disadvantage. If one individual or group is "special" then others are not." Couldn't say it better myself.

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